Sausage ‘Frittata’
Description
We’re so lucky to be able to buy a variety of terrific sausages now. My favourites are the sweet fennel pork sausages that Greg Scopas of Salumeria Fontana makes and sells in the Matakana market. However, if you cannot find them, just use your own favourite sausage in this recipe. I’ve used the term ‘frittata’ loosely here, and suggest you bake it in a loaf tin so that it can be cut into easy-to-eat slices. The combination of sausage, onions and feta cheese is tasty, with red peppers and artichoke hearts adding an extra dimension to the flavours.
Method
Preheat the oven to 210°C. Line a 20cm by 6cm loaf tin with baking paper. Fry the sausages in olive oil in a heavy frying pan until golden brown. Remove from the heat and, when cool, cut each sausage into several slices. If there are more than two to three tablespoons of fat in the frying pan, tip some out.
Slice the onions and add to the pan with the chilli. Cook very slowly until the onions are soft, golden and nutty. Set aside.
Roast the peppers in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the skins blister and begin to darken or char. Remove the peppers and, when cool enough, remove the stalks, skin and seeds and cut each pepper into several strips.
Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C. Cut the feta cheese into small cubes. Cut the artichoke hearts into small pieces.
Scatter half the herbs into the loaf tin to form the first layer. Grate half the cheddar over the herbs, then spread the artichokes in a layer and cover with the cubes of feta cheese and sausage slices. Pile the onions over in an even layer and then add the red pepper strips. (The order of the layers is not important – you can arrange the ingredients however you like).
Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper and pour over the frittata. Top with the remaining herbs and cheese and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or cold, accompanied by spicy chutney.